Rain started coming down in Metairie around 9:45 a.m., but that didn't stop the Mardi Gras 2013 crowds along Severn Avenue from having a good time.

Vinny LeBlanc, who decided to "skip Bourbon Street to hang out with family," has been on the route since Saturday. Every now and then, he'll take a short rest in a pop-up RV just a few feet from the street.

"You can bring the family, even bring the dog if you want to out here," he said. "This is just a great atmosphere."

John Myers of Ponchatoula brings his family to Severn, as well, and said a few showers can't scare them off.

"Can't you tell? We've been out here since yesterday," Myers said. "Weather doesn't matter. ... This is going to last through the night."

Cheryl Toye of River Ridge came to be with friends, and although she said the crowd was smaller than usual, nothing could stop the party, "no matter rain or shine."

She even had friends and family with her from as far as New York City.

For Sheila Galiano, a New Orleans native who now lives in Kansas City, Mo., Fat Tuesday was a joyful reminder of a big difference between her old hometown and her new one. In Kansas City, she said, "We don't stand outside in the snow."